Motor heat indicator



Sept. 15, 193.1. H- H. BoYcE MoToR HEAT INDICATOR Filed May 25, 1927- 2 Sheets-'Sheet l Sept. 15, 1931. H. H. BoYcE 1,823,344

MOTOR HEAT INDICATOR Filed May 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illllllllllll 4v vv Willlsllm||}Z infami-Wwmmm up; immunf,

ATTR Y atentedil Sept. 15,k '19731' PATENT OFFICE HARRISON HURLBERT' BOYCE, OF JERICHO, NEW YORK MoTon HEAT INDICATOR Application led May25, 1927. Serial No. 194,009.

This invention relates tok devices for indicating the Vheat condition within the cooling systems of internal combustion engines and especially internal combustion engines of the automotive type. f

- One of the objects of this invention is to provide means for indicating the condition ot the cooling system of an internal combustion engine,'throughout the normal range prevailing therein and to accentuate a portion of said indication corresponding tothe danger Zone by yday or night. y y

Another object of this invention is` to provide in a device Ltor indicating the heat con- 'dition' within an automotive radiator, a chamber extending` from the iront to the back thereof and enclosingV the portion of the scale ot anl indicating device for indicating the heat condition within said radiator corresponding to a dangerous heatcondition withinthe radiator.

Another object of this invention is to provide meansor gathering and detlecting light rays in the neighborhood of the indication corresponding to a'dangerous heat condition within the'cooling system of an automotive radiator. f f Another object of this invention is to provide means for accentuating the ldeflected,

light rays adjacent the indication of a dangerous condition within the cooling system and at the same time accentuating the indication in the danger range by day and night by 'a change Vin color of the light rays. y

Another object of this invention is to provide the aforementioned chamber with ref iiecting surfaces on its inner side.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent :trom the Jfollowing speciiication, claims and appended drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation View of one embodiment ot my device.

' Fig. 2 is arear elevation view of the embodiment of my device shown in Fig. 1.

c Figris a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. f f n Fig is a'view partly in section showing afmodiied form of construction.v f Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View on the line 5,-5 oFig.` 4.

Fig. G is a detail view of the light conne I 'ing and reflecting cylinder shown in Figs. 4 `and 5.

s Fig..7 discloses a modified torm of the light confining and reflecting cylinder shown in 55 Figs. t and 5.

Fig. 8 isaview partly in section of another modiiied embodiment of my device.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are detail views showing the construction of 'the front bezel of the 60 modification shown in Fig. 8.

My device as shown in they drawings and especially Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof comprises a casing 1 of usual construction and provided with a downwardly extending hollow stem 2 65 formed integral therewith. At the upper end of the stem 2 an outwardly Vextending base flange 3 is formed integral with the stem 2 and casing 1. .The stem 2 is adapted to pass through ythe radiator cap or closure device 70 (not shown in the drawings and to be secured thereto withthe base ange 3 against the outer surface thereof by a lock washer 4 and nut 5 cooperating with a threaded portion 6 of the vstem 2. The stem thus extends 75 into the usual air space at the top of the radiator.

Located within the hollow stem 2 'is a heat responsive device 7 provided with an indicating stem 8 extending across the casing 80 member 1 and entering a recess 9 in the top side thereof. The stem 8 is secured in place inthe recess 9 -by heaty insulating material 10 and the heat responsive device 7 is secured kwithin the hollow stem 2 by similar material 85 11.` The rear face oi the casing 1 is closed by a dial 12 and a bezel 13 secured in place by a retaining ring 111. A gasket 15 is placed between the dial 12 and the casing 1, as shown in Fig. 3. The dial 12 is provided with an 90 aperture 16 adjacent the upper end of the reading range of the indicating stem 8 of the heat responsive device 7. This aperture lies to the rear of the portion of the indicating stem 8 corresponding to the indicating 95 of a dangerous heat condition within the automotive radiator to which my device is attached. The indicating fluid moves rapidly into this portion corresponding to the dangerous heat condition when the abnormal 10G integral with the bezel 17. This magnifying device is adjacent part of that indicating stein 8 whichcorresponds to a dangerous condition within the automotive radiator to which my device is attached and is also in line with the aperture 16 in the rear dial 12. The lens 20 y therefore also accentuates the reading of the indicating element 8 in theregion of dangerous indication. And any dangerous condition is at once apparent due to the sudden rise and apparent magnification of the indicating medium. v

A new and ynovel result is obtained by mounting the lens 20 in close proximity to the indicating stem 8 and in front of the aperture 16-of the rear dial 12. In addition to giving a sudden inagnication of the indieating fluid vin the stem 8 as it enters the danger zone, 4in night or day driving when the heat condition within the radiator to which my deviceis attached is such that the indicating fluidwithin the stem 8 is below the aperture 16 the light rays entering` said aperture will pass to the lens -2() and be dispersed as substantially white or yellow light,

throwing! o fl' a series of sparkling beams. 'Whenthe indicating fluid which inV normal practice is colored extends within the aperture 16 the light dispersed through the lens f 20 will be colored the same as the indicating liuid. Thus if'the Aindicating fluid be red,

' the vlens 20 will appear as a red light at night,

giving off sparkling red beams wheneverjsaid indicating fluid extends within the aperture 16.

In Figs. l and 5, 1 have shown a modified form of 'my device in which I have added a light reflectingl and confining chamber or cylinder between the aperture 16 in the rear dial v and the lens- 20 of the frontidial. Inthese figures, I have designated the parts which are common to my rst embodiment by similar numbers and have designated the light conlining chamber kby the numeral 30. This cylvinder as shown in Fig. 6 is provided with a flange 31 and also diametrically opposed notches`32 through which the indicating stem 8 is adapted to pass. The member 30 is of a sufficient length to extend fromthe rear dial 12 to the front bezel 17 and is secured in alinenient with the aperture 16 in the rear dial and the lens 20 in the front dial in the Vfollowing manner: An additional rear dial 33 is provided and an aperture is formedin this dial of suflicient size to receive the member 30 with its flange 31 resting against the outer side of the dial. The aperture in the dial 33 is so positioned as to bring the member 30 in alinement with the aperture 16 in the dial 12 when assembled within the casing 1i. The dial 12 rests against the outer Yside of the flange 31 of the member 3Q when assembled thus securely holding said member in-position. A separating gasket 34 is provided between thedials 12 and 33.

As `is clearly shown in Figs. l and 5, 4the light confining member 30 when assembled extends from the rear dial 12 to the bezel 17 and embraces that portion of the indicating `stem 8 which corresponds to the indication of a dangerous condition within the cooling system to which my device Ais applied. Thus light rays Ventering the chamberBO directly from the rear will be carried to the lens 20 'and dispersed thereby- Lightrays entering the reiecting and confining. chamber 30 at an angle. will `be yreflected by the. innerV surface thereofand dispersed angularly by the lens Y and increasing its power of reflection. The

inner surfaceof the member 30 may be cylindrical as shown in Fig. 6, barrel shape, as shown in Fig. 7 or formed in any other desiredshape as with facets. Thediagonal light rays which enter the reiiectingand confining chamber 30 are dispersed by the lens 2O` at various angles to each other and appear at iiightinore or less'as a cluster ofsmall search vlights whenl the source of light is constant and the vehicle upon which my device is mounted is at rest. If the source of light is not constant or the vehicle is in motion, the reflected and dispersed rays will constantly change', in intensity and direction and sciritillateyf Y l y In Ynight driving the v light Vdispersed through the lens 2O will be white or yellowish at all times whenthe indicating fluid within the indicatingst-em 8 is below the aperture 16 and the rear dial 12. When the indicating fluid within the stem .8 extends in front of the aperture* 16 the light emanating from the lens 2O will be of the saine color as the indicating fluid. Y

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 8, 9,102 and 11, I have formed the magnifying projection and the light confining chamber integral with the front bezel 17. I have designated themagnifying projection by the numeral 40 and the light confining chamber by the numeral 4J.V The light conning chamberll is substantially cylindrical on its outer surface and extends through the rear dial 12 to a point adjacent the rear bezel 13. In order to securely hold the light conlining chamber 41 in place, I have provided an additional rear dial 42 which lies adjacent n the rear dial 12 and is provided with an aperture embracing the light confining member 41. This additional dial merely gives greater thickness to the customary rear dial 12.

The inner surface of the light confining chamber 41 is tapered toward the inner end thereof, as shown in Fig. 8. The inner or outer surface or both may be faceted ory otherwise irregularly formed to reflect light rays at various angles. The outer surface of this light confining member may be, if desired coated with a light reflecting substance to increase the reflection of lightrays within the chamber. This light confining chamber is provided with notches 43 to permit the indicating stem 8 to pass therethru.

The operation of this embodiment of my device is similar to previously described embodiments and therefore needs no further description. It is apparent, however, that this embodiment is extremely cheap of manufacture and rugged in construction owing to the integral nature of the magnifying projection 40lght confining chamber 41, and bezel 17.

It will be appreciated that when the indicating fluid enters the zone magnified by the lenses 20 or 40, the reading of the luidcolumn is not only magnified in width, as illustrated in Fig. 1, but is also magnified in length. For each fraction of an inch of rise of the fluid column within the danger zone, there is an apparent rise of two or three times the actual rise indicated by the lenses 2O or 40 which gives the effect of a sudden jump of the indication within the danger zone, the suddenncss of which will arrest the drivers attention and cause him to investigate the cause thereof.

It Will be understood that the construction which has been described with reference to radiator heat indicators maybe readily applied to dash-board indicators as well and that various other changes in the construction of the embodiment illustrated in the drawings may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore desire to limit myself to the specific construction shown and described but to interpret the invention broadly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a device for indicating the heat condition Within an automotive radiator, a heat responsive device having an indicating element, a chamber having reflecting surfaces embracing the portion of said indicating ele* ment corresponding to a dangerous heat condition Within said radiator, said chamber being adapted to collect and concentrate light rays upon the indicating element, means at one end of chamber for dispersing the light rays passing thru saidchamber and accentuating the reading of the indicating element in the region corresponding to said dangerous indication.

' 2. In a device for indicating the heat condition Within an automotive radiator, a housing, an indicating element therein of a device responsive to changes in heat condition within said radiator, a plate bezel for said housing having a magnifying portion adj acent a portion of said indicating element and a light confining and reflecting chamber extending rearwardly from said bezel and embracing the portion of said indicating element accentuated by said magnifying portions.

3. In a device for indicating the heat condition Within an automotive radiator, a housing, an indicating element therein of a device responsive to changes in heat condition Within said radiator, a rear dial for said housing formed with an aperture to the rear of and in line With the indication of said indicating element corresponding to a dangerous heat condition within said radiator, a front bezel for said housing, a light con fining and reflecting member extending from said aperture to said bezel and embracing the portion of said indicating element corresponding to the indication of a dangerous heat condition Within said radiator, and means on said bezel for dispersing the light rays passing thru said light confining and reiiecting member.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

HARRISON I-I. BOYGE. 

